Heavy was the yoke

In the Jerusalem Council, there was much heated debate. Enough opportunities had been given to both sides to put forth their arguments. When enough had been said, Peter rose to speak. After Peter had swung his weight behind Paul, the assembly was silenced.
What kind of silence was that? Was it a protest against Peter's exercise of his authority? Could any apostles impose their wishes without finding reasonable ways to convince the congregation? I can safely say that all the answers are negative. The silence was not a protest. No apostles could impose their whims without reasons. Could the silence be a sign of resignation, seeing that the battle was lost? Negative. It was because James, the official leader in Jerusalem put the final seal on the matter. Those assembled had come up with the best way to convey the decision to the Gentiles. Moreover, the decision itself was a compromise, a gesture of good will from the Gentiles. Let's look at the matter again in greater details.

Peter made use of his experience with Cornelius to show that God wants all to be saved. Here, Peter proudly claimed his priority over Paul. He, not Paul, was the first to admit the Gentiles.
Brethren, you know that in the early days God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe (Acts 15:7b).
God gave the believers the Holy Spirit which was God's guarantee of their salvation. He gave them, Jews and Gentiles, without distinction so long as they had faith in the risen Lord. Moreover, salvation did not come from the observance of the laws but from faith in the risen Lord
And God who knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us; 
and he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith (Acts 15:8-9).
How did Peter make use of this incident? Previously, to this same group of people, Peter played nuts. He was only an innocent instrument of God. It was God's will, not his to admit the Gentiles.
If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?" (Acts 11:17)
But this time, Peter accused those who insisted on circumcising the Gentiles guilty of putting God to the test! It was a serious accusation! The circumcision party had not learnt from their previous mistake. Since they were not able to challenge Peter's authority, they picked on Paul. Not only was such behaviour cowardly, but they also put God to the test!
Now therefore why do you make trial of God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? (Acts 15:10)

The accusation against the circumcision party was based on circumcision itself. Peter described it as a yoke which neither the Israelite ancestors nor the contemporary Jews were able to bear. What did Peter mean by this? Why did he call it a yoke? Wasn't circumcision a sign of covenant, a sign for the Jews to be proud of? What made him say that they themselves were not able to bear?
In fact, during the inter-testament period when the Jews were ruled by the Greeks and when the Maccabees fought for national independence, many Jews submitted to the ruling ideology and even underwent surgery to remove their marks of circumcision (1 Maccabees 1:15)! Reality of life made circumcision too heavy a burden to bear.
OK. Even though some contemporary "lawless" Jews had forsaken their covenant, on what basis did Peter claim that their ancestors were not able to bear the burden of circumcision? Had any patriarchs, judges, kings, prophets and priests NOT circumcised? It would be unfair for Peter to accuse them without supplying relevant evidence. Anyway, this is a good research topic for bible students.
Of course, if the burden referred to the keeping of all the Torah, it was heavy indeed. Saul was disobedient. David committed adultery and murder. Solomon worshipped idols in the Temple he built. See how these great kings fall!
Therefore, when Jesus came, he assured us that his yoke is easy and his burden light.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).

Dear Lord, receive our exhausted souls. You are our Good Shepherd. In You, may my soul repose. Amen.

Appendix:
After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up,
that the rest of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
says the Lord, who has made these things known from of old.
μετὰ ταῦτα ἀναστρέψω καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὴν σκηνὴν Δαυὶδ τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν καὶ τὰ κατεσκαμμένα αὐτῆς ἀνοικοδομήσω καὶ ἀνορθώσω αὐτήν,
ὅπως ἂν ἐκζητήσωσιν οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸν κύριον καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐφ' οὓς ἐπικέκληται τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπ' αὐτούς, λέγει κύριος ποιῶν ταῦτα
γνωστὰ ἀπ' αἰῶνος. (Acts 15:16-18)
ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἀναστήσω τὴν σκηνὴν Δαυιδ τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὰ πεπτωκότα αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ κατεσκαμμένα αὐτῆς ἀναστήσω καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω αὐτὴν καθὼς αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ αἰῶνος,
ὅπως ἐκζητήσωσιν οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ἐφ̓ οὓς ἐπικέκληται τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπ̓ αὐτούς, λέγει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ ποιῶν ταῦτα. (Amos 9:11-12)